U.S. patent number 6,715,823 [Application Number 10/228,175] was granted by the patent office on 2004-04-06 for convertible top.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Parat Automotive Schonenbach GmbH + Co. KG. Invention is credited to Manfred Kasparak, Andreas Schmitt, Harald Siring.
United States Patent |
6,715,823 |
Schmitt , et al. |
April 6, 2004 |
Convertible top
Abstract
A convertible top has according to the invention a flexible
textile cover formed of a generally horizontal top panel extending
generally rearward from a front edge, a rear panel extending
downward from and joined at a rear seam to the front panel, and a
pair of generally vertical side panels unitarily formed with the
rear panel, extending forward therefrom, and joined at respective
side seams to the top panel. The side seams are generally
horizontal. In addition the rear seam is generally horizontal and
the side seams form end continuations of the rear seam.
Inventors: |
Schmitt; Andreas (Eching,
DE), Siring; Harald (Munich, DE), Kasparak;
Manfred (Neureichenau, DE) |
Assignee: |
Parat Automotive Schonenbach GmbH +
Co. KG (Remscheid, DE)
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Family
ID: |
7696502 |
Appl.
No.: |
10/228,175 |
Filed: |
August 26, 2002 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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Aug 24, 2001 [DE] |
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101 41 550 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
296/225;
296/107.01; 296/107.09 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60J
7/1226 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B60J
1/18 (20060101); B60J 7/12 (20060101); B60J
7/08 (20060101); B60R 027/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;296/225,107.01,107.09,108,145 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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2 337 485 |
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Sep 1974 |
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DE |
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82 05 999 |
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Jul 1982 |
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DE |
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3416285 |
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Apr 1984 |
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DE |
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41 28 115 |
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Nov 1992 |
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DE |
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44 41 266 |
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Nov 1995 |
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DE |
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197 31 330 |
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Feb 1999 |
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DE |
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198 05 657 |
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Aug 1999 |
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DE |
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199 00 909 |
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Jul 2000 |
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DE |
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Primary Examiner: Pedder; Dennis H.
Assistant Examiner: Coletta; Lori L
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Dubno; Herbert Wilford; Andrew
Claims
We claim:
1. A convertible top comprising: a flexible textile cover formed of
a generally horizontal top panel extending generally rearward from
a front edge, a rear panel extending downward from and joined at a
generally horizontal rear seam to the front panel, and a pair of
generally vertical side panels unitarily formed as a single piece
with the rear panel, extending forward therefrom, and joined at
respective generally horizontal side seams to the top panel.
2. The convertible top defined in claim 1 wherein the side seams
form end continuations of the rear seam.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to convertible top.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
In the drawing:
FIG. 1 is a partly broken away perspective view of a convertible
top according to the invention;
FIGS. 2 and 3 are views like FIG. 1 of prior-art convertible
tops.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, standard convertible tops 10' and 10"
each comprise a flexible and waterproof textile cover 11 having a
front end 23 and a rear end 24 and stretched over a frame partly
shown at 12. The cover 11 comprises a mainly horizontal roof panel
15 that extends back from the front end 23 and that is creased at
20 where it is stretched over ribs of the frame 12, side panels 17
that are mainly vertical, and a rear panel 16 that is normally
formed with a hole 19 accommodating a rear window 18 and that
extends to the rear end 24.
In FIG. 2 the top panel 15 and the rear panel 16 are formed of a
single piece and the side panels 17 are separate pieces joined to
side edges of the top panel 15 at a horizontal seam 14 and to side
edges of the rear panels at angled rear seams 26. Thus this system
is made of three separate pieces that must be stitched together. In
addition the seams 14 are folded at several locations, so that with
time they will loosen and leak.
In FIG. 3 the top panel 15 is separate from the rear panel 16 and
has a rear edge joined to it at a rear seam 25. The top panel 15 is
formed with a pair of front gores 21 and the rear panel with a pair
of rear gores 22 joined together at generally vertical seams 27
forming continuations of the seam 25. The two gores 21 and 22 on
each side form the respective side panel 17. While this top 10" is
only made of two pieces, they are shaped such that there is
considerable waste when they are cut out. The vertical seams 27
forming extensions of the rear seam 14 are potential leak
zones.
Such tops 10' and 10" and the systems for seaming them together are
described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,409 as well as in German patent
documents 2,327,485 of Lehmann, 4,128,115 of Claar, 4,441,266 of
Meister, 197 31 330 of Leutz, 198 05 657 of Bauer, 199 00 909 of
Dangle, and 82 05 999.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an
improved convertible top.
Another object is the provision of such an improved convertible top
which is easy and efficient to manufacture, attractive.
A further object is to provide a convertible top particularly
resistant to leaking, especially at the seams joining the panels
forming the flexible cover.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A convertible top has according to the invention a flexible textile
cover formed of a generally horizontal top panel extending
generally rearward from a front edge, a rear panel extending
downward from and joined at a rear seam to the front panel, and a
pair of generally vertical side panels unitarily formed with the
rear panel, extending forward therefrom, and joined at respective
side seams to the top panel.
In accordance with the invention the side seams are generally
horizontal. In addition the rear seam is generally horizontal and
the side seams form end continuations of the rear seam.
Such a convertible top is extremely attractive, having simple and
very clean lines. Furthermore since it is comprised of two large
basically rectangular pieces it can be made with relatively little
waste, as for instance the material loss to form gores making up
side panels is completely avoided.
SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION
As seen in FIG. 1, where reference numerals used in FIGS. 2 and 3
relate to functionally identical structure, the rear panel 16 is
separate from the top panel 15 and is joined to it at the
horizontal rear seam 25. In addition the rear panel 16 is unitarily
formed with the side panels 17 that are joined to the top panel 15
at the horizontal side seams 14 forming continuations of the rear
seam 25. Thus the only seam between the two parts of the flexible
cover 11 lies in a horizontal plane so that the cover 11 can be
manufactured with ease and the seam 14, 25 is unlikely to leak. In
addition the one-piece constructions of the side and rear panels 16
and 17 is quite attractive and durable.
* * * * *